Today Unite in AXA commences balloting its members in Northern Ireland in respect of the company proposals on pay and reward for staff in Belfast, Derry and the Northern Ireland branches, negotiated after a series of meetings this year.

As members in Northern Ireland appreciate there were many concerns about pay and reward especially market competitiveness that needed addressing. We have discussed these at length with the company and the end result is a proposal we believe addresses almost all of these issues resulting in substantial pay rises for the vast majority of staff.

Unfortunately a small number of benefits and current practices have had to be changed due to regulatory requirements or employment law, however we feel AXA has been reasonable in the alternatives proposed to address these necessary changes.

Overall the company proposal addresses almost all of the concerns that members have raised with us over the last few years and will see the vast majority of staff receiving substantial improvements in their current levels of pay and reward.

Additionally the introduction of a new grading system (part of a global process driven by AXA Head Office Paris and being rolled out across the group) will now enable staff in Derry to enjoy the benefits of career development previously unavailable to them.

The ballot commences today and will run until noon on Tuesday 29th May.

If you have any questions please speak to your local Unite in AXA rep.

Unite members in AXA Belfast and the Direct Branch Network have voted to accept the company offer of a 3% pay pot and a new starters salary of £12,400, rising to £13,400 after probation.

For: 82.98%

Against: 6.39%

The balance of papers were not returned.

These figures are similar to the voting on the AXA UK pay offer were members voted 88.05% in favour of their offer and hopefully demonstrate that the vast majority of Unite in AXA members were pleased with the efforts of the union negotiating team.

Following negotiations in Belfast last week, Unite in AXA has recommended members in Northern Ireland accept the management offer of a 3% pay pot that should see 75% of staff who are currently lower in the salary bands receive an average of 3.75%.

In addition to pay, another of other matters were discussed and these included the clarification of scheduled and non-scheduled bank holidays for branch staff, that any branch employee working on a scheduled bank holiday can choose between time off in lieu or overtime as opposed to it being management discretion, a review of the Northern Ireland staff handbook in comparison with the UK and ROI handbooks and the introduction of an annual payment of £60 to fire wardens in line with the rest of the UK.

Pay talks for AXA Ireland staff in Belfast and the branches in Northern Ireland are due to commence on Wednesday 13th April. If you are a member in the bargaining unit please provide the two Belfast reps with your views on what you would like to see regarding this year’s pay award.

Further, management have now agreed that, following union representations on the matter, to close the Northern Ireland branches on the public holiday for the Royal Wedding, not open them as they originally planned.

After consultation with Unite in AXA, AXA Ireland have agreed that the existing UK recognition agreement be extended to cover the Derry Service Centre in Northern Ireland.

Union reps from Belfast and Dublin will be on site from 31st March, holding a series of organising meetings with staff to explain the benefits of union membership and recruit new workplace reps for the site.

At the AXA European Works Council in Paris today, AXA President Henri de Castries was challenged over the quality of jobs being created within AXA in Western Europe and whether AXA was moving to a “McJobs” culture of low pay, low prestige roles driven by a cost cutting culture.

In response he stated that whilst there was a need for everyone to “accept flexibility” there was “no long term benefit to customers and we will not remain successful through poor quality jobs”.

Yesterday a meeting was held between Unite, SIPTU and AXA management in relation to the health of the AXA Ireland Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. As most members are no doubt aware, the scheme is in serious deficit as a result of the collapse on the financial markets and the slow return to growth.

The company have agreed to increase their contributions to the scheme as part of a recovery plan and have outlined a plan to return the scheme to full funding by March 2016. This plan was outlined to the unions, just over a week ago and the meeting yesterday was held to answer the questions the unions had about how the scheme would work and the implications for staff.

All of our questions were answered by the management to our satisfaction. The increased funding of the scheme is being undertaken by the company using a release from their investment portfolio. This plan has been approved by the Board of trustees, the shareholders and the Pensions Board.

Unite in AXA reps from Belfast and Dublin met with National union reps yesterday and the situation in relation to the Derry Service Centre operation was again discussed.

The operation of a low cost non-union premises is not acceptable. The Derry operation serves to undermine the position of staff in Ireland, both North and South, as there is always a low cost alternative to members jobs. This represents a threat to job security either side of the border.

All agreed on a course of action to try and remedy this situation by bringing Unite representation to the Derry operation. By doing so, we can address the contract differences between the operations and forestall any attempts by the company to use Derry as a threat to drive changes in terms and conditions throughout the island of Ireland.